Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

March 31, 2016

The OSSLT tests three reading and four writing skills through multiple choice questions and written answers.

90% of JFSS students were successful on the OSSLT in 2015.

You need at least 300 out of 400 points in order to pass the test.

The red bars show the number of JFSS students who scored between 300 and 390 on the 2015 test

What stands out for you?

What does the data tell us?

Most students did very well on the directly stated questions.

• The answers are right there in the text

Many students did not do well on the indirectly stated questions.

• The answers involves making an inference• You need to think about what you have read and come to

some conclusion in order to answer the question• You are putting “2 and 2 together”

Many students who are unsuccessful do not do well on making connections questions.

• These are the hardest questions • You take the information from the text and draw a

conclusion based on what you have learned

Next Steps: Improve students’ inferencing skillsToday• Learn and practice a reading strategy that will help you make inferences

• Apply the strategy to an OSSLT reading selection

Tomorrow • Learn a variety of strategies for answering multiple choice questions on the OSSLT

• Apply strategies for answering multiple choice questions and inferencing to an OSSLT reading selection

Making Inferences

What is an inference?

It’s when you figure something out using clues and what you already know.

Inference = The text (visual, spoken, written) + how we judge or interpret the text in our head.

• We make inferences all the time

• On the next slides are visual and written texts that require you to make inferences in order to make sense of them.

What is the inference here?

The kid hates sandcastles. What is he about to do or just finished doing?

Click here for a hint

What is the inference here?

What does the man and the tree have in common?

Click here for a hint

What is the inference here?

A truck is parked in the Canadian Tire parking lot. No one is inside, the headlights are on and the driver’s door is open.

What were you doing while reading these different text forms that helped you make sense of them?

Share your ideas with the whole class.

Reflecting on your thinking

You made a logical guess using clues in the text, your own knowledge and your common sense in order to figure something out.

Why is inferencing important?

It is a way to discover deeper meanings that the author didn’t tell you explicitly.

The ability to make inferences is an important step in learning to think critically. It is not random.

You can learn how to make inferences.

Today we will teach you a strategy that will help you make inferences so that you can be successful with many of the reading and writing tasks you will encounter on the OSSLT.

Let’s start with a children’s story, Goldilocks and the Three Bears

So she climbed into the great big chair that belonged to Papa Bear. "Oh, no!" she said. "That chair is MUCH too hard.“

Then she sat in Mamma bear’s medium size chair "Oh, no," she said. "That chair is MUCH too soft!“

Next, she sat in Baby bear’s tiny little chair. "Ahhhh," she said with a smile. "This chair is JUST right!“

Just then there was a loud CRAAACK! and the little chair broke right through!

Why did Goldilocks break the chair?

Answer the question on your own. Then, share your answer with someone next to you.

What did you do in order to answer the question?

Share your ideas with the whole class.

You made an inference using the story and your own ideas and experience.

The story says that she sat down in the baby’s tiny little chair.

I know that baby chairs aren’t very big because they’re for babies. Goldilocks is bigger so she weighs more than a baby.

My logic tells me that Goldilocks is too heavy for the chair so it broke.

An example:

It says… I say… And so…

A reading strategy to help you make inferences

Why did Goldilocks break baby bear’s chair?

It says…Find the information in the text that will help me answer the question.

The story says that she sat down in the baby’s tiny little chair.

Why did Goldilocks break baby bear’s chair?

I say…I say what I already know about that information.

Baby chairs aren’t very big because they’re for babies. Goldilocks is bigger so she weighs more than a baby.

Why did Goldilocks break baby bear’s chair?

And so…I combine what the text says with what I know to come up with a logical answer.

Goldilocks is too heavy for the chair so it broke.

It Says – I Say – And So

Teachers: Distribute and review the strategy handout with your students.

Students: Keep this page as a reference to help you with the OSSLT reading tasks you complete over the next few weeks. It will help you next semester as you prepare for the Literacy Test.

Try out the It Says – I Say – And So inferencing strategy as a whole class…

1. Practice Together

1. Read the paragraph that follows this slide.

2. Make as many inferences as you can using the It Says – I Say – And So strategy.

3. Share your inferences with the whole class by Thinking Aloud your It Says – I Say – And So process.

Instructions:

Task 1: Make as many inferences as you can using the It Says, I Say, And So strategy.

A young girl is standing on a corner. She is wearing a bright red jacket and boots. She has a red wool scarf tied around her neck. She is wearing striped mittens. She looks to the left down the street. She stamps her feet and puts the backpack on the ground. She looks to the left down the street again.

Task 2: Determine the meaning of the underlined word using the It Says, I Say, And So strategy.

Since Reginald was nervous, he brought his rabbit foot talisman with him to the exam.

Try out the It Says – I Say – And So Strategy on your own

2. Practice Alone

Teachers: Handout the Miss Murdstone task.

Complete the Miss Murdstone task alone using the instructions on the page.

You have 4 minutes

When everyone is finished…

Share your inferences about the type of person you think Miss Murdstone is with the whole class.

3. Apply the It Says – I Say – And So Strategy: OSSLT Reading (2011)

Teen’s Recycling Recipe Bags Award (OSSLT 2011)

1. Read and underline or highlight places where you can make inferences. (It Says)

2. Think about what you underlined using your prior knowledge and common sense . What does it make you think? Write your ideas in the white space(I Say)

Read now. You have four minutes Remember to highlight or underline and make inferences on the white space in the margins

You will respond to a question on the next slide at the end of 4 minutes.

3. Notice the And So… prompt at the bottom of the page. Use your inferences to help you respond to the following:

Write a statement about why Burd’s experiment won top prize.

Share your And So… statement with the class:1. What did you highlight or underline?

2. What inferences did you make?

3. Tell us your And So… statement: Burd’s experiment won top prize…

4. In what ways did your inferences help you make your statement about why Burd’s experiment won top prize.

This question is from the OSSLT. How would you answer it?

The answer is aClick here for answer

Place your handouts in your folder. Bring your folder to class tomorrow.